5.7. Dating Violence

Dating violence is violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim, where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. It can include but is not limited to: 

• Sexual abuse or the threat of such abuse; 
• Battering that causes bodily injury; 
• Purposely or knowingly causing reasonable apprehension of bodily injury;  
• Emotional abuse creating apprehension of bodily injury or property damage. 
• Dating violence does not include acts covered under the definition of domestic violence, below.